Read Online Tracie Peterson - [Land of Shining Water 02] by The Quarryman's Bride - Free Book Online Page A

Emmalyne drew a deep breath and picked up one of her brother’s shirts. She spoke over her shoulder as she pinned it to the line. “Mother has been unwell for so long now, I suppose I feared the worst.”
    “I can understand. I spoke to your mother about the past, and I thought maybe you could offer me more insight. She didn’t want to speak much on the matter.”
    “On what matter?” Emmalyne asked. She secured the shirt and turned to face him.
    “Mostly the past and what happened to cause her such sadness.”
    “That’s easy enough,” Emmalyne replied, but she hesitated a moment, unsure of how much she should say. “My sisters died eleven years ago in a terrible storm that destroyed much of St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids. Many people were killed.”
    “I’ve heard about that storm,” he said, nodding sympathetically.
    “My two youngest sisters were among the victims. My father blamed my mother because she had sent them to town on errands. They didn’t get home in time and were killed by debris.”
    “I am truly sorry. It’s easy to see why your mother bears such sorrow.”
    Emmalyne picked up another shirt and hung it up before turning to the doctor. “That’s not the only sadness she’s faced. I suppose it isn’t for me to say, but I think she feels a sense of loss . . . well, in her marriage, too. My father is a very hard man. He shows little kindness or love. I know this wounds her.”
    “I can well imagine. Has it always been so?”
    “Not to hear her tell it. But apparently my father blames her not only for my sisters’ deaths, but for him not being able to save his own family. Mother had talked him into eloping and marrying against the wishes of his family. Soon after, a fire took the lives of my grandparents and several others. Father felt it was his punishment from God for having married Mother. Mother has borne this burden of guilt all of her life.”
    “Hardly right to put such a thing on another person. She couldn’t have known a fire would start, much less take lives.”
    “I know. I tell her that whenever the topic arises, but Mother can’t be comforted. You have to understand, my father is harshand ill-tempered most of the time. He might not speak on the matter to me, but I know he still brings it up to Mother from time to time. When my sisters were killed, Father was convinced it was more punishment from God. Now he hates God just as much as I think he hates Mother.”
    Dr. Williams shook his head. “Such hatred could easily cause the kind of melancholia that I see in your mother.”
    “Is that all that’s wrong?” Emmalyne asked.
    “You make it sound trivial, but we’re learning more each day on the powerful effects of such sadness. We don’t yet know how best to treat it, but we see the degrading and devastating way it wears at the body. Some people have even willed themselves to die.”
    Emmalyne wasn’t surprised by this, and she nodded. “I often worry that Mother would do exactly that . . . if she could.”
    “She may well be on her way there,” the doctor said soberly. “I’m hopeful, however, that together we can help her to regain her health—to care about life again.”
    “What do you suggest?”
    “It’s important to get her involved again in daily activities.”
    “But she’s always so tired.”
    “Exhaustion goes hand in hand with the sorrow. You’ll most likely have to encourage her to do more. At first she will probably fight against it, but in time, I believe you’ll see a change.”
    Emmalyne thought for a moment. “So I should give her small tasks to do?”
    “To start that would be good. I would also get her outdoors, as I mentioned before. The sunlight and fresh air will do her a world of good. This is a lovely setting—she could enjoy the sun for a time, then perhaps retire to the shade.You could arrange for her to sew or take up some reading. Anything to busy her mind. And if you could get your father to have a change of